Qantas Lounge Access Hong Kong

[Swiggy]

I booked a flight from Sydney to Taipei via Qantas Business and only paid $8k for the convenience. Unfortunately as Qantas has booked me on a China Airlines flight from Hong Kong to Taipei, I was rejected entry to the Qantas lounge. I’m a Platinum Member, Booked Business Class Flight directly with Qantas and could have flown China Airlines direct, however paid more to stay loyal to Qantas. The other irritant is I own a company that just spent $30K on flights for staff to attend Christmas parties and also another team member to fly Business overseas, so all up $50k in the last 7 days and rejected to the lounge whilst in transit. Terrible experience and will now consider China Airlines for flights direct to Taipei rather than giving Qantas any consideration. Definitely also looking at domestic Virgin flights in future for our staff As Qantas has just got worse and worse in my view.

Has anyone else experienced this and Im wondering why Qantas doesn’t inform you that you don’t get to use the lounge in transit after booking business with qantas?

 

[Guvner]

Which lounge do China Airlines biz pax use?

 

[AustraliaPoochie]

Welcome onboard AFF Airlines, Swiggy.

 

[encryptededdy]

Welcome to AFF.

If you were booked on a Qantas flight number, then my understanding is that it was wrong for them to decline you access. If you were booked on a China Airlines flight number, then they were correct to decline you access.

In both cases, as a Business Class customer, you can access China Airlines' lounge in Hong Kong instead, which should be any of the 3 Plaza Premium lounges. Admittedly these are generally a bit worse than the Qantas lounge in Hong Kong.

 

[henrus]

Which lounge do China Airlines biz pax use?

Plaza Premium Lounge.

Used to use the Skyteam lounge but that was closed during covid.

If you were booked on a Qantas flight number, then my understanding is that it was wrong for them to decline you access.

There are no QF codeshares on China Airlines other than AU-Taipei direct flights.

Air France is the only non oneworld carrier that has a QF code out of Hong Kong on their flights right now (a few others used to but they currently aren't being sold or operated) however all this is kind of a moot point given Air France use the QF lounges in both HK (and now Singapore) for their business class passengers.

 

[AustraliaPoochie]

From what I read, on the China Airlines website, (((I know the other one is Air China, which I am aware is a different airline entirely)), does not have its own lounge at HKG airport.

 

[RooFlyer]

Welcome to AFF. @Swiggy

sorry to hear of your experience.

however paid more to stay loyal to Qantas.

i’m afraid that was the basic mistake made. You may be loyal to Qantas but they will not reciprocate.

 

[MelbFlyer]

I’m a Platinum Member

I would have thought just due to this, that would be enough to grant you entry into the Qantas lounge, no matter what class / airline you're flying out of HKG with? Seems odd.

 

[encryptededdy]

I would have thought just due to this, that would be enough to grant you entry into the Qantas lounge, no matter what class / airline you're flying out of HKG with? Seems odd.

Generally all airlines require you to be flying a flight with their code or some sort of partner in order to access their lounges.

There's been a few exceptions in the past, but I don't know of any that are active now (excl. invite only tiers). For instance;

Finnair Platinum Lumo used to let you access their Helsinki lounges regardless of who you were flying, but not anymore

In the past, Air NZ and Qantas both allowed "anytime" lounge access as an Elite/Platinum (even without a flight), but this was removed well over 10 years ago.

 

[kangarooflyer88]

I was rejected entry to the Qantas lounge.

Your first mistake. Visiting the Qantas lounge at HKG. Arguably Cathay has the nicest lounges at HKG.

I’m a Platinum Member, Booked Business Class Flight directly with Qantas and could have flown China Airlines direct, however paid more to stay loyal to Qantas.

Not visiting the Cathay First class lounge, which you have access to flying Qantas as a Platinum member, strrr-ike TWO!

Terrible experience and will now consider China Airlines for flights direct to Taipei rather than giving Qantas any consideration.

Or even EVA Air for that matter. China Airlines will get you SkyTeam elite status whereas EVA will get you Star Alliance.

If you were booked on a Qantas flight number, then my understanding is that it was wrong for them to decline you access. If you were booked on a China Airlines flight number, then they were correct to decline you access.

That's correct in general. And specifically for OP here's what Qantas has to say about lounges when travelling on China Airlines (CI):

In both cases, as a Business Class customer, you can access China Airlines' lounge in Hong Kong instead, which should be any of the 3 Plaza Premium lounges. Admittedly these are generally a bit worse than the Qantas lounge in Hong Kong.

Something is better than nothing and yes flying business class generally speaking (and particularly in Asia) you'll have access to lounges of varying quality.

-RooFlyer88

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Your first mistake. Visiting the Qantas lounge at HKG. Arguably Cathay has the nicest lounges at HKG.

Not visiting the Cathay First class lounge, which you have access to flying Qantas as a Platinum member, strrr-ike TWO!

.

-RooFlyer88

Why recommend a lounge the pax didn’t have eligibility for? They thought they might have access to the QF lounge given they bought the ticket from QF and we’re QF platinum. They weren’t trying to enter under oneworld rights.

 

[encryptededdy]

Or even EVA Air for that matter. China Airlines will get you SkyTeam elite status whereas EVA will get you Star Alliance.

Since OP is flying from Sydney, EVA isn't super useful unless they want to transit Brisbane every time.

That's correct in general. And specifically for OP here's what Qantas has to say about lounges when travelling on China Airlines (CI):

That table doesn't cover the Hong Kong lounge, but that makes sense given @henrus told us that there's no QF/CI codeshares ex-HKG.

For OP: In the future, when trying to get to Taipei, I'd say you have these options

1. Book with China Airlines on a CI flight number on their direct flight to Taipei. You will have access to the Sydney SkyTeam lounge & the CI Taipei lounges (only if flying business)
2. Book with Qantas on their codeshare with China Airlines on their direct flight to Taipei. You will have access to the Sydney Qantas First Lounge & the CI Taipei lounges (only if flying business)
3. Book with Qantas on a flight to Hong Kong & Cathay flight HKG-TPE. You will have access to the Sydney Qantas First Lounge, Cathay HK First Lounges (or Qantas HK Lounge), and Cathay Lounge Taipei
4. Book with Cathay on a flight to Hong Kong and onwards to Taipei. You will have access to the Sydney Qantas First Lounge, Cathay HK First Lounges (or Qantas HK Lounge), and Cathay Lounge Taipei

 

[jase05]

Not visiting the Cathay First class lounge, which you have access to flying Qantas as a Platinum member, strrr-ike TWO!

They weren’t flying with Qantas.
They were flying with China Airlines on a China Airlines flight number so the lounge was correct in not allowing them entry.
As a J pax they would have had access to the Plaza Premium lounges

 

[kangarooflyer88]

Since OP is flying from Sydney, EVA isn't super useful unless they want to transit Brisbane every time.

May or may not be worth it. Depends on the price I suppose. From what I hear from others EVA does have a top notch service.

That table doesn't cover the Hong Kong lounge, but that makes sense given @henrus told us that there's no QF/CI codeshares ex-HKG.

For OP: In the future, when trying to get to Taipei, I'd say you have these options

1. Book with China Airlines on a CI flight number on their direct flight to Taipei. You will have access to the Sydney SkyTeam lounge & the CI Taipei lounges (only if flying business)
2. Book with Qantas on their codeshare with China Airlines on their direct flight to Taipei. You will have access to the Sydney Qantas First Lounge & the CI Taipei lounges (only if flying business)
3. Book with Qantas on a flight to Hong Kong & Cathay flight HKG-TPE. You will have access to the Sydney Qantas First Lounge, Cathay HK First Lounges (or Qantas HK Lounge), and Cathay Lounge Taipei
4. Book with Cathay on a flight to Hong Kong and onwards to Taipei. You will have access to the Sydney Qantas First Lounge, Cathay HK First Lounges (or Qantas HK Lounge), and Cathay Lounge Taipei

Why recommend a lounge the pax didn’t have eligibility for?

Initially I thought they may have been on a QF marketed flight although evidently it would seem that this isn't the case.

They thought they might have access to the QF lounge given they bought the ticket from QF and were QF platinum. They weren’t trying to enter under oneworld rights.

And that's the interesting wrinkle. If you fly on a QF marketed flight you'll have access to QF lounges.However, you only have access to other OneWorld operated lounges if you are travelling on a flight marketed and operated by a one world airline. To give specific example here, consider an itinerary where you are flying from SYD to AMS connecting in SIN. You take QF81 (operated by Qantas) from SYD to SIN then connected onto QF4235 (operated by KLM Royal Dutch Airlines). You would have access to the Qantas lounge at SYD and at SIN too. However, you wouldn't have access to the BA lounge at SIN since the onward flight to AMS is operated by KLM.

They weren’t flying with Qantas.
They were flying with China Airlines on a China Airlines flight number so the lounge was correct in not allowing them entry.

That would appear to be the case, since as henrus pointed out only flights operated from Australia to TPE direct with China Airlines can carry the QF code (i.e. SYD > BNE > TPE could all be coded as QF).

As a J pax they would have had access to the Plaza Premium lounges

The one at SYD was pretty meh when I visited there back in October. Not much to write home about but a lounge nonetheless.

 

[jase05]

The one at SYD was pretty meh when I visited there back in October. Not much to write home about but a lounge nonetheless.

They would have had access to the QF lounge in SYD.
SYD-HKG would be on a QF number whereas HKG-TPE would be in a CI number hence you would have QF lounge access in SYD and then the Plaza Premium lounge in HKG

 

[moa999]

Lounge rules can be complex with codeshares and partner airlines unfortunately.
In this case Qantas is little more than a travel agent booking you on a CI flight.

On the upside you will be able to use the lounge on the return trip, but as others have said the CX F lounges would be preferred as a Platinum.